Who has chicken and ducks living together???

[Ilovemychicks08]

I kept mine seperated till they were old enough. Then slowly integrated them with the chickens. After a week and a half or 2 of being together. One chicken started attacking the ducks, luckily i caught it in time, and seperated them. But now i will just keep them seperated.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I kept them separated with the ducks in a pen and a large dog crate to sleep in for a while because the chickens were basically full grown and the ducklings were still babies. Then we lost a couple chickens so we stopped free ranging them 100% and started keeping them in a pen more of the time while the ducks (3 hens, one drake) ranged. Then we lost our male duck, so there was no reason to keep them separate anymore, and we've had the chickens and ducks together ever since.

They sleep in separate coops overnight though. The chickens have food and water in their coop, the ducks only have bedding in their hut, so I have to move them into the pen in the morning for food and water. Everyone eats All Flock pellets now, with oyster shell on the side. I have young pullets and cockerels coming up too, so now I offer the starter crumble in the pen as well, which the hens do try to eat, but I don't mind. So long as everyone has the food they need, it works for me. The layers get their oyster shell on the side, the ducks get the niacin they need from the All Flock formula, and the babies can eat either starter/grower or All Flock. It's really all good, (except their starter / grower is probably higher quality than the All Flock, honestly,) but for me I'd so much rather just feed everyone the same thing and be done with it. lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

I kept them separated with the ducks in a pen and a large dog crate to sleep in for a while because the chickens were basically full grown and the ducklings were still babies. Then we lost a couple chickens so we stopped free ranging them 100% and started keeping them in a pen more of the time while the ducks (3 hens, one drake) ranged. Then we lost our male duck, so there was no reason to keep them separate anymore, and we've had the chickens and ducks together ever since.

They sleep in separate coops overnight though. The chickens have food and water in their coop, the ducks only have bedding in their hut, so I have to move them into the pen in the morning for food and water. Everyone eats All Flock pellets now, with oyster shell on the side. I have young pullets and cockerels coming up too, so now I offer the starter crumble in the pen as well, which the hens do try to eat, but I don't mind. So long as everyone has the food they need, it works for me. The layers get their oyster shell on the side, the ducks get the niacin they need from the All Flock formula, and the babies can eat either starter/grower or All Flock. It's really all good, (except their starter / grower is probably higher quality than the All Flock, honestly,) but for me I'd so much rather just feed everyone the same thing and be done with it. lol

You can feed them all all flock as long as you feed the young ones crumble they don't do so good on pellets till they are older.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

You can feed them all all flock as long as you feed the young ones crumble they don't do so good on pellets till they are older.

Sadly, I probably won't have any little bebe ducks again any time soon... :/

 

[crazy chicken ladies]

I've had concerns about the feed situation. I have 2 runner/pekin mix ducks...a male and a female....and I have 6 chickens, all hens. They all have free roam of the yard, which is fenced in. The chickens have a coop inside of a run where I have always kept their food and water. The ducks have their food and water outside of the pen, beside their pool. however, they all eat from both food pans. I feed the hens straight layer feed and I mix the duck food, 50-50 layer and all flock starter feed. My concern is that the hens won't be getting all they need for laying. So far the eggs are all fine, with the exception of a soft shell occasionally. But, is it ok that the drake is eating the layer feed? Or, even the female duck. They are only a few months, maybe 4. Also, I read something about the ducks needing niacin? Will that harm my hens? I never realized there were so many rules about feeding ducks and chickens. It was so simple when I just had chickens, lol. I love my ducks, tho. They are so funny and beautiful. Thanks for any help y'all can give.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I've had concerns about the feed situation. I have 2 runner/pekin mix ducks...a male and a female....and I have 6 chickens, all hens. They all have free roam of the yard, which is fenced in. The chickens have a coop inside of a run where I have always kept their food and water. The ducks have their food and water outside of the pen, beside their pool. however, they all eat from both food pans. I feed the hens straight layer feed and I mix the duck food, 50-50 layer and all flock starter feed. My concern is that the hens won't be getting all they need for laying. So far the eggs are all fine, with the exception of a soft shell occasionally. But, is it ok that the drake is eating the layer feed? Or, even the female duck. They are only a few months, maybe 4. Also, I read something about the ducks needing niacin? Will that harm my hens? I never realized there were so many rules about feeding ducks and chickens. It was so simple when I just had chickens, lol. I love my ducks, tho. They are so funny and beautiful. Thanks for any help y'all can give.

I just had them all on all-flock, with oyster shell on the side.

 

[Jmcintosh23]

I kept mine seperated till they were old enough. Then slowly integrated them with the chickens. After a week and a half or 2 of being together. One chicken started attacking the ducks, luckily i caught it in time, and seperated them. But now i will just keep them seperated.

We don't separate ours they hang out okay with each other
But our male duck was born with the chickens were butchering and he's like a loner at first he was fine with momma duck and drake but then the other ducklings got bigger and could mingle I with them and now he stays by himself. I'm wondering if I save one of the female ducks if he'll be happier. He's like no don't take me away from my rooster buddies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If your drake doesn't have any female ducks of his own and isn't accepted by Mama duck and drake he is most likely lonely and needs his own females but one won't be a good idea drakes are so hormonal the female will be mated continually. It would be best for any drake to have at least 3 and up females of his own. The more the better for the females.

 

[Jmcintosh23]

If your drake doesn't have any female ducks of his own and isn't accepted by Mama duck and drake he is most likely lonely and needs his own females but one won't be a good idea drakes are so hormonal the female will be mated continually. It would be best for any drake to have at least 3 and up females of his own. The more the better fo0r the females.

O good to know thanks